Saudi Arabia: Drone and two ballistic missiles launched toward Mecca intercepted

Saudi Arabia's defense forces intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia towards the holy city of Mecca, according to latest reports. Debris from the missiles landed in multiple locations, including Sabuhah village, as confirmed by the Saudi civil defense. The attack on civilian objects is deemed a blatant breach of international humanitarian law, underscoring the dangerous and hostile tactics employed by the Houthi rebels.

Saudi authorities accused the Houthis of violating international humanitarian law and highlighted the threatening nature of their actions. The Houthis, however, have steadfastly denied allegations that they target Mecca and Medina, two of Islam's holiest cities, and claimed their military operations are focused on military and strategic targets within Saudi Arabia.

They have not yet commented on this latest incident. The recent surge in hostilities marks a sharp increase in tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, who took control of Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in 2014, leading to a military intervention by Riyadh the following year on behalf of the internationally recognized government.

A UN-brokered truce in 2022 brought the conflict to a relative standstill, but fighting flared again this year. The Houthis have been launching missile and drone assaults on Saudi territory, while Saudi Arabia has retaliated with airstrikes in Yemen. The latest confrontation has sparked apprehensions regarding the security of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping lane connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.